The 10 Best Mouse Pads

This wiki has been updated 27 times since it was first published in February of 2015. With the time we spend sitting in front of a computer, it's essential to have the right mouse pad in order to reduce strain to our wrists and hands and maintain efficiency. Whether you're a frequent gamer or a heavy-duty typist, we've got you covered with this selection, which includes a variety of styles, materials, and colors to choose from, including a few high-tech, futuristic models.
When users buy our independently chosen editorial
recommendations,
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Skip to the best mouse pad on Amazon.

This wiki has been updated 27 times since it was first published in February of 2015. With the time we spend sitting in front of a computer, it's essential to have the right mouse pad in order to reduce strain to our wrists and hands and maintain efficiency. Whether you're a frequent gamer or a heavy-duty typist, we've got you covered with this selection, which includes a variety of styles, materials, and colors to choose from, including a few high-tech, futuristic models.
When users buy our independently chosen editorial
recommendations,
we may earn commissions to
help fund the Wiki.
Skip to the best mouse pad on Amazon.

10. Kensington Duo

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The Kensington Duo features a soft two-compartment gel pillow with a ventilation channel in the middle designed to keep your wrist cool and sweat-free while you work. It's both a stylish and ergonomic choice, and comes with a two-year warranty should anything go wrong.

9. DealzEpic Art

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Add a dash of personality to your space with the DealzEpic Art, which boasts an eye-catching Van Gogh print. If Impressionism isn't your thing, fear not, there are plenty of other options to choose from. Thanks to the low price, you could probably pick up more than one.

8. VicTsing Ergonomic

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The VicTsing Ergonomic contains a cushioning gel that molds to your wrist for all-day support, making it a decent choice for long hours of computer use. You may want to be gentle with it, though, because it can leak with rough treatment.

7. Razer Goliathus Speed

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Regardless of your preferred in-game sensitivity level, the Razer Goliathus Speed delivers superior tracking responsiveness for almost any task. There's one for all desks, since it comes in several sizes, including a mobile option that easily goes wherever you do.

6. Roccat Taito

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Attain good control with the Roccat Taito, a sleek option that features a cloth surface designed for smooth and steady movements. You can count on this usability for the long haul, too, since it is crafted to stand up to considerable abuse.

5. Redragon Archelon P001

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The Redragon Archelon P001 is crafted from high-density, silk-processed cloth that functions well on almost any desktop surface. It's designed to resist curling, and its reinforced stitched edges help prevent deformation and wear.

4. Logitech G Powerplay

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The high-tech Logitech G Powerplay provides continuous charging, a wireless receiver, and customizable lighting that will sync with the rest of your Logitech gaming gear. It is something of an investment, but the functionality may be worth it for serious users.

3. Corsair MM600

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For those who feel the need for speed, the Corsair MM600 can certainly deliver. But it's also two-sided, which adds to its versatility, making it a fine choice for all types of gaming styles. It's fairly inexpensive, considering the convenience and quality.

2. Glorious XXL Extended

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The Glorious XXL Extended provides an immense gliding expanse that accommodates both a keyboard and a mouse, and is very gentle on its user's wrist. Its smooth cloth surface is optimized for quick movements and has a nonslip rubber backing.

1. SteelSeries QcK

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The SteelSeries QcK has an ample surface with a sturdy rubber base for stability, making it a reliable choice for both gamers and computing professionals alike. And if you really want to take your setup to the next level, there's also an RGB backlit option.

Special Honors

The Original MouseRug The Original MouseRug is a classy addition to any office, especially since the patterns are based on actual tapestries, making this a fine option for true art lovers. Those who enjoy coordinated items will probably appreciate the matching bookmarks and coasters, too. mouserug.com

Editor's Notes

May 29, 2019:

A mouse pad that feels good to one person might annoy another, but we think we can confidently say that the SteelSeries QcK and Glorious XXL Extended can please most users. They allow for gliding but with no slippage, and they come in plenty of sizes. The SteelSeries also offers an RGB version that boasts illuminated in-game and Discord notifications. Of course, both of these choices are geared more toward gamers; office workers with ergonomic needs might check out the VicTsing Ergonomic or the Kensington Duo. These support the wrist, making a desk job more comfortable. Note, though, that as with most gel types, they will leak if treated roughly, so be careful with your loose staples and pens. Finally, we removed the UCFO Non-Slip due to availability issues, but we found a comparable decorative choice, the DealzEpic Art, for those who are all about style. It features fun prints in everything from fluffy animals to abstract art.

Why Do I Need A Mouse Pad?

It could be because they’re given away as promotional items at conferences, so they seem kind of disposable.

It’s not only gamers who spend hours at their desk, of course: millions of people do just that every day, because we get paid to.

For some people, mouse pads have a bit of an image problem. It could be because they’re given away as promotional items at conferences, so they seem kind of disposable. It could be that mice have evolved (there’s a phrase that would be scary out of context), so that instead of the clunky, easily malfunctioning rubber-ball-operated mouse of old, we all have optical or laser mice that can cope more easily with our bare desks – if they even need to touch them at all.

Or it could be because back in the 90s some of us bought embarrassing ‘novelty’ mouse pads to liven up our desks (did you ever have one of those transparent ones with the colored gel inside, so when you moved your mouse you could watch the gel flow around like lava? Man, my purple gel mouse pad looked great in my high school bedroom next to my inflatable armchair and my ‘Have A Nice Day’ poster…).

If you happen to be a gaming responsible adult, however, that first paragraph won’t have made a lot of sense to you, because you know the truth: mouse pads are a gaming essential. When everything depends on your precision and/or reaction time, the tiniest of nanoseconds you could lose thanks to the grain of your desktop really matter – the surface of a good mouse pad facilitates smooth movement and aids pointer precision. Not only that, but if you spend hours in front of your computer, you need something that won’t chafe your hand and will support your wrist.

It’s not only gamers who spend hours at their desk, of course: millions of people do just that every day, because we get paid to. Some productivity bloggers have noticed that using gaming hardware for work computing can help us to work more efficiently and comfortably: in other words, if gamers need a mouse pad, then it wouldn’t hurt freelancers, cubicle workers or bloggers to use one, too.

gdgt Central lists five good reasons for keeping a mouse pad in your life – the last of which is ‘They can be pretty cool’. Maybe I should see if my old 90s relics are still in my mom’s attic.

How Much Do I Need To Spend On A Mouse Pad, Really?

Mouse pads range in price from free – pick up a crappy one next time you’re attending a convention, visiting a college’s open day, or working for an employer you don’t like – all the way up to around $60 for a mat optimised for gaming. (We’ve even seen a ‘special edition’ mat advertised for almost three hundred bucks.) So can you really afford the mouse pad you need?

Well, to rearrange the Rolling Stones a little, you might just get what you need, but you can’t always get what you want.

Well, to rearrange the Rolling Stones a little, you might just get what you need, but you can’t always get what you want. Although you probably do need something to help you control your mouse and to protect your precious hardware (mouse, desk, wrist etc), the more expensive the mat you buy, the more incremental the benefits you’ll see.

Think of mouse pads a little like running shoes. Pick up any issue of Runner’s World and you’ll see in-depth reviews comparing the weight of running shoes, their shape, the thickness of their soles. Does any runner need the lightest shoe, the most expensive shoe, the latest in shoe technology? Strictly speaking, no: any beat-up sneaker would do, at least for a little while. But if they’re going to be running for hours; if they want to be the fastest; if they want the edge over their competitors – then they want to know they’ve invested in a quality shoe that will give them that edge.

Any mouse pad is fine if you’re just going to sit down and check your emails once a day. But if you’re putting in long hours of work or gaming, you’re going to want to check out our recommendations for that competitive edge; decide which features are the most important to you; and spend what you can afford.

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Melissa Harr is a language-obsessed writer from Chicagoland who holds both a bachelor of arts and master of arts in English. Although she began as a TEFL teacher, earning several teaching certificates and working in both Russia and Vietnam, she moved into freelance writing to satisfy her passion for the written word. She has published full-length courses and books in the realm of arts & crafts and DIY; in fact, most of her non-working time is spent knitting, cleaning, or committing acts of home improvement. Along with an extensive knowledge of tools, home goods, and crafts and organizational supplies, she has ample experience (okay, an obsession) with travel gear, luggage, and the electronics that make modern life more convenient.

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